Omicron: £1billion in support for businesses
The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak announced on 21 December 2021 that £1billion additional support will be made available for businesses impacted by the Omicron variant sweeping through the country.
Usually the busiest and most profitable time of the year for the hospitality sector, pubs and restaurants are already feeling the pressure that the new Covid strain has placed on them with many cancellations in the run up to Christmas.
Support available
Hospitality and leisure sector businesses in England are eligible for one-off grants of up to £6,000 per premises.
There will also be over £100 million discretionary funds made available for local authorities to support other businesses which could help around 200,000 businesses.
The cost of Statutory Sick Pay for small and medium-sized businesses, with less than 250 employees, will be covered by the government for Covid-related sickness for up to 2 weeks per employee. Claims can be made retrospectively from mid-January.
The Culture Recovery Fund will have an additional £30 million funding available for cultural organisations in England to apply for support during wintertime.
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak said: “We recognise that the spread of the Omicron variant means businesses in the hospitality and leisure sectors are facing huge uncertainty, at a crucial time.
“So, we’re stepping in with £1 billion of support, including a new grant scheme, the reintroduction of the Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme and further funding released through the Culture Recovery Fund.”
Read the full news story here: £1billion in support for businesses most impacted by Omicron across the UK.
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